[Washington Examiner] The Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday that it has approved over-the-counter sales of a nasal treatment for opioid overdoses for the first time.
Narcan has been given the seal of approval by the FDA to hit pharmacy shelves, with the agency saying Wednesday's action paves the way for the "life-saving medication" to be made easily available to those who need it.
"The FDA remains committed to addressing the evolving complexities of the overdose crisis. As part of this work, the agency has used its regulatory authority to facilitate greater access to naloxone by encouraging the development of and approving an over-the-counter naloxone product to address the dire public health need," FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in a statement.
"Today’s approval of OTC naloxone nasal spray will help improve access to naloxone, increase the number of locations where it’s available, and help reduce opioid overdose deaths throughout the country. We encourage the manufacturer to make accessibility to the product a priority by making it available as soon as possible and at an affordable price," he added. |